Ashutosh Sharma seemed stuck, scoring 20 off 20 balls while the required rate climbed beyond 12. Then, he flipped the script, turning Delhi Capitals’ IPL 2025 opener against Lucknow Super Giants in Visakhapatnam into his personal spectacle.
With 62 needed from 30 balls and only four wickets remaining, Ashutosh unleashed a brutal assault, hammering 46 off his next 11 deliveries to seal a stunning one-wicket victory for DC with three balls left. Arms aloft, he was swarmed by jubilant teammates, while a stunned Rishabh Pant—DC’s former captain now leading LSG—watched on in disbelief.
Sent in to bat, Lucknow Super Giants put up a formidable 209 for 8, powered by explosive innings from Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh. At one stage, they seemed poised for an even bigger total—possibly 250—but Delhi Capitals’ bowlers fought back brilliantly, conceding just 48 runs in the last seven overs while taking six wickets. While Pooran and Marsh smashed 147 off 66 balls, the rest of LSG’s lineup struggled, managing only 55 off 55 deliveries.
DC’s chase got off to a disastrous start as they slumped to 7 for 3, seemingly out of contention. However, debutant Vipraj Nigam emerged as an unexpected hero, blasting 39 off 15 balls after walking in at No. 8 with 97 needed from 45. Though he fell with 42 still required from 23, Ashutosh Sharma took charge, sealing the win in style with a towering six off Shahbaz Ahmed to complete an incredible comeback.
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Ashutosh Sharma Rises to the Occasion
Ashutosh Sharma had been Punjab Kings’ go-to finisher in IPL 2024, regularly producing breathtaking knocks. However, his heroics often ended in heartbreak, with near-misses in thrilling chases against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians. Now, donning Delhi Capitals’ colors, he was introduced as their Impact Player when DC found themselves in dire straits at 65 for 5 in 6.4 overs. He started cautiously, ensuring he didn’t throw his wicket away, even as wickets kept tumbling around him.
Tristan Stubbs’ departure left DC at 116 for 6 in 13 overs, with ESPNcricinfo’s win probability plummeting to just 1.46%. But Ashutosh thrives in adversity. He found an able partner in debutant Vipraj Nigam, who injected momentum into the chase by attacking Ravi Bishnoi and Shahbaz Ahmed. Nigam’s cameo ended at the hands of fellow debutant Digvesh Rathi, but Ashutosh was just getting started.
With DC needing 22 off 12 and only two wickets left, he went after Bishnoi, smashing a six, a four, and another six to tilt the balance. When Kuldeep Yadav was run out trying to retain strike for Ashutosh, DC were down to their last wicket. But the pressure didn’t faze him. Facing Prince Yadav, he clobbered a six and a four off the last two balls of the over, leaving just six needed in the final over.
No. 11 Mohit Sharma survived a close lbw call and managed a single to bring Ashutosh back on strike. With the game hanging in the balance, Ashutosh launched Shahbaz Ahmed straight into the sightscreen, sealing an unforgettable victory as the DC dugout erupted in jubilation.
LSG Rip Through DC’s Top Order
New Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel opted to bowl first, hoping to avoid the risks posed by late-evening dew. However, DC’s top order crumbled long before dew became a factor. The chief architect of their downfall? Shardul Thakur—a player who wasn’t even supposed to be at the IPL. Unsold at the auction and set for a County stint with Essex, Thakur found his way back after Mohsin Khan’s injury—and he made it count.
In his very first over, Thakur struck twice. Jake Fraser-McGurk miscued an outswinger straight to long-off, a move set up perfectly by LSG skipper Rishabh Pant. Just two balls later, Abishek Porel mistimed another outswinger to Nicholas Pooran at mid-off.
Sameer Rizvi briefly raised hopes with a crisp cover drive off his first ball but was soon dismissed by left-arm spinner M Siddharth, leaving DC reeling at 7 for 3 inside two overs. Axar and Faf du Plessis attempted a counterattack, stitching together a 43-run stand off just 23 balls. However, their dismissals in back-to-back overs pushed DC further into trouble at 65 for 5 by the seventh over.
Pooran and Marsh Set Vizag Ablaze
LSG’s powerplay struggles in IPL 2024 were well-documented, but this season, they seem determined to change the narrative. Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran took charge, ensuring an explosive start.
After Aiden Markram’s early dismissal, Marsh went after his fellow Australian Mitchell Starc, racking up 43 runs off just 19 balls in the powerplay—his highest-ever tally in this phase in the IPL. Pooran, promoted to No. 3, wasted no time in joining the carnage. Marsh reached his half-century in 21 balls, while Pooran got there in 24, helping LSG breach the 100-run mark inside nine overs.
Pooran was ruthless against spin, smashing 60 runs off just 18 balls at a blistering strike rate of 333.33. His assault on Tristan Stubbs’ offspin in the 11th over yielded 28 runs—four consecutive sixes followed by a four. Meanwhile, Marsh tormented the pacers, striking at an intimidating 255.55 against them.
Pooran’s electrifying 75 off 30 balls (six fours, seven sixes) and Marsh’s 72 off 36 (six fours, six sixes) had LSG eyeing an enormous total, possibly even 250. But just when things seemed perfect, the tide turned dramatically.
Kuldeep and Starc Halt LSG’s Charge
At 161 for 2 after 13 overs, LSG seemed unstoppable, with ESPNcricinfo’s projections placing them at 246 or more. But Mitchell Starc and Kuldeep Yadav had other plans, leading a stunning turnaround for DC.
Kuldeep struck first, dismissing Rishabh Pant for a six-ball duck as he mistimed a lofted shot straight to long-off. In the next over, Starc delivered a game-changing blow, uprooting Nicholas Pooran’s stumps with a full, late-swinging delivery.
Ayush Badoni tried to take on Kuldeep in the 17th over but holed out at long-on, and two balls later, Shardul Thakur was run out. Starc then dismantled LSG’s lower order in his final over, removing Shahbaz Ahmed and Ravi Bishnoi, as LSG collapsed, adding just 33 runs while losing six wickets between overs 14 to 19.
It was only David Miller’s late heroics—two sixes off Mohit Sharma in the final over—that pushed LSG past 200, finishing at 209. For a long time, that seemed like a match-winning total. But as the night unfolded, DC had other ideas.
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FAQs
How did Ashutosh Sharma lead DC to victory against LSG in IPL 2025?
Ashutosh Sharma turned the game around by smashing 46 off his last 11 balls, guiding Delhi Capitals to a thrilling one-wicket win with three balls to spare.
What was LSG’s total, and who were their top scorers?
Lucknow Super Giants posted 209/8, with Nicholas Pooran (75 off 30) and Mitchell Marsh (72 off 36) being the standout performers.
How did DC recover after a disastrous start in their chase?
After being reduced to 7/3, debutant Vipraj Nigam (39 off 15) provided crucial momentum before Ashutosh finished the job with a match-winning six.
How did Starc and Kuldeep turn the game in DC’s favor?
Mitchell Starc and Kuldeep Yadav triggered LSG’s collapse, restricting them to just 48 runs in the last seven overs while picking up six wickets.
What role did Shardul Thakur play for LSG?
Shardul Thakur, initially unsold at the IPL auction, struck twice early to dismantle DC’s top order, reducing them to 7/3 inside two overs.
